In May, dpaxson and I went driveabout for three weeks, visiting sites in Elaya (that's Southern California to most of youse) and Aztlan (Arizona and New Mexico). The nominal excuse was that dpaxson was Invited to Appear at the ADFDesert Magic festival, which we took as a launching-off point for a trip to do road-based research for the next Westria book.

We had a mind to get in some camping while we were at it--nothing saves money while on errantry like couchsurfing and camping--and so, laden down with gear and clothes suitable for any temperature from Late Spring in the Sierra Nevada Mountains to Early Summer in the Sonoran Desert, we set off, and one way or another managed to find a use for nearly everything in the car--even if we only camped the very last night, in the Tehachapi Mountains above the town of Tehachapi.

A week after Baycon, we left for Trothmoot, where we found, among many another marvel of the Great North Woods, the infamous Tobie's Sticky Bun, which is so renowned in that region that, when one steps off the plane at MSP and mentions, "Oh, I'm going to Hinckley", random other passengers will say, "OH! You simply must have the sticky buns!" And we did, and indeed, they were mighty--but I was also duly impressed by the wide array of other baked goods, including gluten-free items.

The fine folks at Brushwood Heritage Center were willing to accommodate dpaxson and I at their back-to-back events in July, Sirius Rising and the all-new SummerFest. We wound up doing seidh twice, presenting half-a-dozen things between us, and, best of all, spending damn near two weeks encamped with E and K--and if you wanted to speak to anyone else of note, one had merely to stay awhile under Camp Shasu's great shade, and they would probably show up. Most notable was Don Miguel, a Taino shaman from Cuba, who decided we were all Good People, and we hung out being level-headed and indigenous/reconstructionist at each other.

In a useful side note, Southwest doesn't charge for either your first or second checked bag. The flip side is their overweight fee: if your bag weighs 51-100 lbs, it's $50 (as opposed to $20 for 51-70 lbs and $50 for 71-100 lbs, as on other airlines). This is no problem to the prepared traveler: we had one duffel with all our miscellaneous ironmongery and wine (100 lbs on the dot, so $50), one suitcase with bedding and books to sell (50 lbs on the nose, so no extra), and one bag for each of our clothes, coming in at 49.5 and 38 lbs (no charge).

Of course, you all missed out on my workshops, but you may, even now, harbor Dread Suspicions that they'll be coming back around on the guitar for Pantheacon!And now we are home, with intent to stay here for a tidy few months. But how do I keep busy...?

Good to hear from you again -- I was wondering the other day how you were doing! It appears to be homebody month after travel month... I was out and about for much of the past month and change, and am now home for a bit.